Back in the car, Bai Yixuan fastened Ling Chuxia’s seatbelt, then started the car, turned the steering wheel, pressed the gas pedal, and the car slid into the traffic.
Ling Chuxia sat there quietly, her black and white eyes staring blankly, unfocused. She had stopped crying, yet she seemed trapped in a world of utmost sorrow, and it was enough to wring a person’s heart.
Bai Yixuan felt the pain in his chest intensify, gradually spreading to every limb. His hands gripped the steering wheel tightly, his lips thinned, but suddenly, he turned the wheel and drove towards the roadside, coming to a stop.
His hands still on the wheel, he looked straight ahead, silent for a good while, until he finally could no longer hold back. Turning his face to look at Ling Chuxia, he spoke in a heavy voice, "Xiaxia, I want to know, what exactly is your relationship with Shi Che?"
Previously, he had various suspicions about their relationship but had never asked, because he sensed that Shi Che could make Ling Chuxia’s mood very unstable, and she also never spoke of her past. He thought that perhaps she had some sort of emotional knot, and he didn’t want to pick at her wounds. Since she wouldn’t say it, then that was that; as long as she was happy in the future, that would be enough.
But now, he had to ask clearly; he couldn’t stand to watch her in pain without knowing what to do.
So, the words he spoke were not a question but a statement of his desire to know.
Ling Chuxia did not look at Bai Yixuan. Her gaze remained vacant, staring ahead as if she hadn’t heard him at all. Bai Yixuan’s eyes darkened, and he couldn’t help but reach out, lightly resting his hand on her shoulder, "Xiaxia, tell me, please?" Read full story at novel⚑fire.net
His hand was broad and strong, resting on her shoulder as if to give her invisible courage. Ling Chuxia’s eyes, already red, seemed to glisten with tears once more.
After going through so much, she really thought she could be strong, but it wasn’t so. All self-deception crumbled instantly in front of that person.
Her body slowly curled up, hands wrapping tightly around herself. Her dark eyes blinked once, tears spilling over, and with pale lips trembling, a hoarse voice spoke, "Not long after you left, elder sister and I were adopted by the Shi Family, so I knew him."
"We grew up together, went to school together, got scolded together, got spanked by Madam together. Back then, I was so naughty, always causing trouble, but he always protected me. I was also very greedy, constantly blackmailing him for treats, but every time, he would simply hand me his wallet. And in university, all the girls had suitors or boyfriends, except me. There were always one or two unpleasant people who would mock me, and I would bring Shi Che to make an appearance. He had just taken over the company at that time, busy every day, but whenever I called him, he would rush over at once. Then he’d hug me, telling those people, ’Who says Ling Chuxia is unwanted? I, Shi Che, have reserved her a long time ago.’"
Perhaps the memories were too sweet; Ling Chuxia’s tears streamed down as her lips curved into a smile, "I thought we would always be this close, always, until we grew old, and we could laugh about these memories."